Letters: Amnesty on fines at Lexington library

Library-fine amnesty

Thanks to reporter Cheryl Truman for the recent story about a long-overdue library book. It’s true that most libraries still charge fines for late items.

But we care more about you than about the fines you owe. The library is an amazing resource to which everyone should have access. You can check out books, media and even board games. You can use a computer, get wifi access, take a class or get help with your job search.

Here’s our offer: Lexington Public Library declares Sept. 16-30, 2018 as “Welcome Back Days.” Bring us all overdue library materials, no matter how old and we will welcome them (and you) with open arms and no fines.

Premium content for only $0.99

If you have lost or damaged library materials, we’ll take it off your record. Now more than ever, the library is something we all need in our lives.

Ann Hammond

Executive director

Lexington Public Library

Value talent over degree

Columnist Tom Eblen’s hit piece on the vote taken by Gov. Matt Bevin’s reorganized Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board “to remove the decades-old rule that Kentucky public school teachers must earn a master’s degree” is conclusive evidence that Eblen has no understanding of the problems of public education.

He equates a master’s degree with a higher standard, and his commentary makes clear that he is not aware that Bevin is trying to do exactly what Eblen’s suggested motto for classrooms calls for: “God save Kentucky’s schools from politics.”

But for the political activity of those who lead the teachers, the master’s degree requirement would never have been imposed. Teachers are born, not made. Requiring a master’s degree does not raise the standard; it simply erects a barrier. For those many who do not have the talent for teaching, it provides an artificial means to get a higher salary.

William A. Rice

Harlan

Patriotism under attack

A recent column by retired professor Marty Solomon says that every day “another fragment of democracy is stolen from us.” Yet there is never a specifically defined loss. I read about and hear these accusations, but no one ever provides specifics.

Yes, Adolf Hitler was legally elected but his methods of taking over the news outlets were significantly different. Hitler’s repression was violent and swift. Newspapers were burned and opposition reporters were murdered.

Solomon gives President Donald Trump much more credit than he deserves. Trump wasn’t the first to make the accusation that President Barack Obama was born elsewhere.

When only a few large corporations own most of the news media, we have a serious credibility problem. Patriotism is not dead. But it is assaulted in the media every day.

Camille Haggard

Lexington

Dangerous opinion

Is it illegal to incite outright revolution? A recent column by Mike Rivage-Seul, published in the Herald-Leader, did just that.

In the piece, Rivage-Seul offers suggestions on overhauling the Catholic Church. He is identified as a former Catholic priest, which may bolster his bonafides with a certain crowd, but taken with his anti-Catholic opinions appears intended to troll faithful Catholics.

Rivage-Seul’s baptism makes him a Catholic. But he seems to demand nothing of himself beyond that. He suggests a boycott of the church until it institutes a list of reforms. I welcome his boycotting the church until he decides to put himself inside the church. Then I would welcome him with open arms.

His views on the Catholic Church may only be of interest to himself and Catholics. His call to “work for outright revolution” must be of interest to our law enforcement.